You can run this route in either direction, but I prefer to go up Hwy 8, then come back down the mountain via Hwy 58. 8 is a bit steeper grade and a little tighter corners. Either way, however, is a great ride.
Lots of mountain scenery, a few blind curves, but pretty decent on most of them.
There is light local traffic on both 8 & 58. Traffic on the BRP segment is usually light, and speed limit on the BRP segment is 45 and enforced. I've never personally seen cops on 58 or 8 and never been on the BRP and NOT seen a park officer at some point.
Be sure to check out the 3 views around Rocky Knob on the BRP, as well as Mabry Mill. Hwy 58 a few miles south of Meadows of Dan has Lover's Leap, another spectacular view with plenty of parking along the road.

Nice twisty section of road near Winston Salem.
The corners are not knee-dragging twisties, but there are a lot of them on excellent road surface with decent sight around most of the corners.
It's a great road to scrub in new tires on a sport bike or simply get a quick fix for some curves on a lightly traveled road.
(Try to avoid between 4:30 and 6:00 pm as there traffic picks up as people are getting off work.)

The northern section of 66 (twistiest portion) was recently repaved in 2014. They did a pretty cheap job so there is a little bumpiness, but compared to what it was 2 years ago, it's practically perfect. Once you hit the newly repaved section you won't find a straight section of road for more than a few hundred feet at a time.
Corners are NOT all marked, and almost none of them have a 'suggested' speed limit posted. Just because there is no speed marked on the corners absolutely does NOT mean you can take them at the road's over-all posted speed limit of 55 MPH. (at least not and survive)
Lots of blind or at least reduced visibility corners, especially when foliage is on the trees.

This was the route I took on one summer weekend. I just wanted to ride and chose back roads and it turned out to be rather interesting. Staying in Raleigh I dont find many roads close by and I ride a supersport so long rides are far and few.

The route mapped here is average not too many curves, they are just back roads. Once you enter Holly Springs the traffic is a little high but after a diviation you are on your own. I barely saw a cop or two on the whole ride. After a while you come to Aviator Brewing comapny where you can rest have a cold beer and continue on. Highway 201 just opens up, there were no cops and good two lane roads and you can haul ass. I think i could have gone further but I decided to stop at I40 and returned via the interstate.

To sum it up it's just relaxing back roads and an easy get away from the city traffic. I would rate it Average or slightly less.